Alirajpur: A 40-year old woman was killed for allegedly practising witchcraft in a village of this remote tribal district of Madhya Pradesh, police said.

The incident took place yesterday evening at Aambadberi village under Chandpur police station, around 38 km from the district headquarters.

"A woman identified as Jhamkudi Bai was attacked with a sharp-edged weapon when she was returning home with her 12 -year old son after washing clothes in a nearby river. She died on the spot," Chandpur police station in-charge Janak Singh Rawat said.

Rawat said that the attacker, identified as Mathuria (43)told the victim's son during the attack that the victim's witchcraft was responsible for the accused's daughter falling mentally ill.
Mathuria also beat up the victim's son when the latter tried to save his mother, the officer said.

"The incident was reported to the police around midnight and a case has been registered under the relevant sections of IPC. The accused is absconding," said Rawat.